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Big data


THE NUMBERS GAME


Big Data burst on to the scene in 2013, but what exactly is it? Dinah Hatch tackles the subject and explores exactly how and why corporates can put it to use


difficult to solve the problems. This is merely an excuse and it doesn’t exist in other industries. We have cherished the notion that holding on to data provides an advantage not to be relinquished. Having more information than those with whom we negotiate was thought to be a winning strategy. Compared to the way other industry verticals use data, we are far behind, possibly even negligent.”


Moving forward But how do you navigate the huge transitional junction between using legacy data and Big Data? By hiring Big Data practitioners, says Choe, who warns that IT staff capable of analysing and utilising this data command high salaries and the investment will stretch further to new hardware and software too. His argument for instead using his company, or a similar Big Data analysis organisation like Hopley’s Data Exchange, are compelling. So, what will they do for you? He explains:


“If you work with a company like PI who has already invested in the technology, has all major TMC data already mapped, has a comprehensive library of other data (like hotels) and deploys the solution in the


cloud then you can go from zero to live within six weeks.” Choe continues, “Our BD platform allows


the users to perform in real-time what used to take hours, days, and weeks. PI already taps into BD sources like Facebook and Twitter for other clients, automatically classifies this content, performs sentiment analysis and integrates it with the companies enterprise data so that the business can make more real-time decisions based on latest market conditions.” Sounds great. But not everyone is 100 per


cent convinced. Gary Hance, director of IT and yield at the ATPI Group says: “Many clients are happy with the traditional deck of MI reports and the knowledge that ad-hoc reporting can be turned around the same day. Put simply, they’re not queuing at our door with requests for Big Data projects.” That said, he sees definite advantages too.


“Looking at how TMCs work right now, Big Data could help select travel options. The trick is to amalgamate and include non- traditional sources of data. So for example, if a travel consultant was asked for flight options from London to Singapore on a specific day, it would be useful if they could access data to find out about the on-time


performance of each carrier over the last six months, check the product review of the carriers per class of service, find out about the aircraft which operates the service itself and review the maintenance history and age from different sources. They could then weight the response to the client with these factors adding to the usual cost/timing equation. Not today, but perhaps Big Data could facilitate this type of amalgamation of interests in the future,” says Hance. And if all this sounds too much, take the advice of BCD’s Kriedt: “I suggest that travel buyers should make it their TMC’s problem to use Big Data in a way that is meaningful to them. As a TMC we have the critical mass to invest in data scientists that know how to explore data sets in a statis- tically sound way, work with experts to interpret the data and distil the findings into white papers and models that can be plugged into the reporting system. “Current data sets are too big to handle


even for some of the leaders in Business Intelligence. Yes, technology, enterprise data management and adding staff with backgrounds in data has been a big invest- ment, but this is a key area where the TMC can provide great value to clients.”


THE BUSINESS TRAVEL MAGAZINE 71


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